Now Streaming: THE DARWIN INCIDENT, World's First Humanzee Goes Wild

What do you get when you mix a scientist and a chimpanzee? A creature who really likes to eat bananas?

The Darwin Incident
The first episode is streaming on Prime Video. Subsequent episodes will debut every Wednesday.

Cheeky, to say the least, Shun Umezawa wrote and illustrated an acclaimed manga series that was first published in 2020. I say "cheeky" because the manga revolves around Charlie, who is half-human and half-chimpanzee.

After watching the first episode of the anime adaptation, however, I can see why the manga series became popular, far beyond the rather outrageous premise. That's because the series proper, set in Missouri (Midwestern U.S.) begins when Charlie's adopted human parents drop him off for his first day of high school.

Naturally, Charlie's nonchalant arrival makes him an instant celebrity around school. Now 15 years of age, Charlie has been dealing with worldwide fame for his entire life, so he's not overly disturbed by teenagers climbing all over each other to get a look at the new kid in school.

Nor is he perturbed when an obvious bully tests him out with what the bully thinks is a clever question. (The bully is put in his place, without resorting to fisticuffs.) Nor is Charlie bothered when Lucy, who has been bullied herself, starts sitting with him in the school cafeteria.

What bothers Charlie is seeing anyone in danger when he can do something about it. Thus, he doesn't hesitate to save two creatures in danger of falling from a tree. And there's also a strong suggestion that Charlie reacts instinctively to any injustice, which will surely come into play when a militant animal rights organization, the Animal Liberation Alliance (ALA) starts to mobilize, especially since the ALA has been called a terrorist group.

The animation features a flood of lush, primary colors, with firm lines. In other words, it's built for action. Since it's set at a high school, and features two outsiders as the protagonists, I look forward to plenty of action and strong, teenage emotions.

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